1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a labeling system for coil binders, and in particular to an attachment which affixes to a coil binding of a coil binder.
2. Description of the Related Art
Coil binding is a popular means of binding a number of pages together to create reports, studies, and other documents. A coil bound document is formed by initially punching holes along an edge of the document. Then, a flexible coil is spun, or threaded, helically into the document through the punched holes. Most coils are made from a variety of flexible materials, such as PVC plastic or metal, and are available in wide range of diameters, pitches, and lengths to fit different binding needs.
While an effective and efficient method for securely binding documents, coil binding has a disadvantage in that, when shelved or stacked side-by-side with other bound documents, only the coil bound edge of the document is visible. Where other binding methods present a spine which can be printed on, coil bound documents do not. Accordingly, it is difficult to identify coil bound documents which are shelved or stacked.
Co-owned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,902,659 and 6,447,863, each entitled “Flexible Labeling System,” disclose a label, which in embodiments may be applied along an edge of coil bound documents. The disclosed labeling system is comprised of a flexible plastic member incorporating two hinges created by a pair of parallel V-shaped grooves, either continuous or segmented, or perforations which are either die-cut or stamped into the flexible plastic member. The plastic member permits users to provide labeling for coil bound documents.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,406, entitled “Method Of Mounting Index Tabs Upon Stenographic Notebooks,” discloses an embodiment in FIG. 5 of that reference, where an elongated indexing indicia support base member may be affixed to a coil bound document by a pair of catch members on opposite ends of the base member.